Cheryl accused of using baby Bear for publicity after privacy U-turn

We’ve only seen Cheryl and her ex Liam Payne’s son Bear a handful of times since his birth 21 months ago, with his parents vowing to protect his privacy.

Fans were quick to hit out at Chezza, 35, for what looks like a sudden U-turn over sharing precious moments.

One fan pointed out, ‘Time to get the kid out now that her single [Love Made Me Do It] has flopped and she’s got a new TV show out,’ while another said, ‘The career is going nowhere, now she’s using her son to keep in the news. So much for his private life,’ and a third wrote, ‘The public…went against her and now she wants to share Bear photos.’

Cheryl has hit back at negativity, saying in a recent interview, ‘It makes me sad that we really put a lot of focus on criticism – just enjoy.’

But for some fans, Bear’s public appearances were just what they had been waiting for. ‘It is so sweet of her to share a glimpse of baby Bear’ said one, while another praised her for juggling motherhood with her career. ‘I bet she is a great mother. Cheryl comes across as a nice genuine caring loving woman.’

The pop star started sharing images of her son on New Year’s Eve, uploading not one but three unseen photos to her Instagram Stories.

Shortly after Bear’s birth, a source close to the couple revealed they ‘won’t be sharing any pictures as they want to protect the privacy of the baby’.

Six months later, Liam, 25, explained, ‘We’ve only shown him in glimpses. We don’t want him to have the pressure that me and Cheryl have… We want him to enjoy himself first and then figure it out.’

A joint statement from Cheryl and Liam announcing their split on 1 July said, ‘Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together.’

Cheryl has stopped short of revealing his face and she wouldn’t use her son, that’s for sure – but Bear might just be her secret weapon.